FORMER BURKE'S HOLES CREEK SAW MILL
CORNER OF WANGARATTA-KILFEERA ROAD & GRIFFITHS LANE WANGARATTA,WANGARATTA RURAL CITY
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Statement of Significance
What is significant?
The former Burke's Holes Sawmill is significant due to the opportunity for the site to understand early manufacturing and processing plants of rural Victoria. The elements of significance may include stationery steam engine, with boiler, vertical saw, travelling rack benches, timber shed, Two-storied building erected for a Flour mill and associated land use, including archaeological artefacts and deposits.
How is it significant?
The former Burke's Holes Sawmill is of archaeological and historical significance to the local City of Wangaratta.
Why is it significant?
This site is significant for its association with the late nineteenth century manufacturing and processing for local infrastructure projects. The site also holds historical significance due to its association with Ned Kelly. This site was once known as the Burke's Holes Saw-mill where bushranger Ned Kelly earned an honest living just prior to the events that unfolded with Constable Alexander Fitzpatrick at the Kelly household at 11-Mile Creek Greta West resulting in the Kelly Outbreak. This particular saw-mill stands out amongst others that Ned worked for as he specifically mentions in the Jerilderie letter that he was the overseer of this specific mill. The position of overseer would have been considered a big responsibility for young Ned Kelly as he was only about 20 to 21 years of age. From Ned's appointment to this position of responsibility we can derive that he commanded respect and was considered a hard, honest and trustworthy worker as well as experienced for his age. This mill was one of many that supplied railway sleepers for the second half of the Wangaratta to Beechworth Railway that extended from Everton through to Beechworth.
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FORMER BURKE'S HOLES CREEK SAW MILL - History
The land title for allotments 9 & 10 section 29 Parish of Laceby was transferred to a Mr. James Dixon of Wangaratta on the 24th of September 1873 from a Mr. John Adam. James Dixon was a Canadian miller and general merchant who ran the One Mile Store where K-mart in Wangaratta currently stands today. He was also Wangaratta Mayor for 2 terms from 1866-1867 and again in 1869-1870.
As per the advertisement for the sale of the saw-mill due to James Dixon's Insolvency dated May 26th, 1874, most likely Mr. Dixon owned the land and the mill equipment. It was during this time that railway sleepers were being produced for the second half of the Beechworth railway line from Everton through to Beechworth - construction commencing 18th of June 1875 and completed 29th of September 1876 (Ovens & Murray Advertiser).
The mill itself was advertised for sale along with allotments 9 & 10 being noted as Burke's Holes Farm. These advertisements ran sporadically from the 13th of February 1875 to the 26th of May 1877 in the Ovens & Murray Advertiser:
"Burke's Holes Saw-mills 13 h.p. Stationery Steam Engine, with Boiler, Vertical Saw, Travelling Rack Benches in good working order, Substantial Timber Shed, Two-storied building erected for a Flour Mill, with 5 acres of land, being portion of Allotment 10, Section 29, Parish of Laceby; permanently watered. The Machinery, Mill Building, and Freehold will be sold in one, two, or three lots, at the option of the purchaser"
Eventually the 4.2.15 acre subdivision as part of allotment 9 was eventually transferred from James Dixon to John Bristow Docker of Bontharambo & Thomas George Clarke or Springhurst on the 12th of April 1878 and once again annexed to allotment 9 (Instrument No.0068359).
This siteis also potentially attributedwhere bushranger Ned Kelly, whoearned an honest living just prior to the events that unfolded with Constable Alexander Fitzpatrick at the Kelly household at 11-Mile Creek Greta West. This particular saw-mill stands out amongst others that Ned worked for as he specifically mentions in the Jerilderie letter that he was the overseer of this specific mill.
FORMER BURKE'S HOLES CREEK SAW MILL - Archaeological Significance
Burke's Holes Sawmill was constructed approximately between 1873 and 1875. The site comprised of a stationary steam engine and boiler, vertical saw, travelling rack benches, timber shed and two storied building erected for a mill, with 5 acres of land. No substantial foundations or historical artefacts have been identified, however small fragments of brick have been located at the base of a tree on the site. The site is an agricultural paddock with history of stock grazing. This site demonstrates that there is potential for historical archaeological features, deposits or artefacts.
FORMER BURKE'S HOLES CREEK SAW MILL - Historical Significance
The site is associated with the late nineteenth century manufacturing and processing for local infrastructure projects. The site also holds local significance due to its association with Ned Kelly. Ned Kelly specifically mentions his overseer role at the Saw mill in the well known Jerilderie letters, giving insight into his life before the establishment of the bush ranger identity. The site reveals an opportunity to understand the early manufacturing and processing plants of rural Victoria during the late nineteenth century.
Heritage Inventory Description
FORMER BURKE'S HOLES CREEK SAW MILL - Heritage Inventory Description
The original 580 acres of allotment 9 was subdivided to include a separate 4.2.15 acre block for use as the saw-mill site around late 1873 to early 1875 as a best estimate. The whole of allotment 9 is flat pastoral/agricultural land. The subdivided 4.2.15 acre block contains a creek now known as the One-mile Creek that becomes part of the northern border of the block. This creek then runs under the Wangaratta-Kilfeera Road through onto allotment 10 of section 29 then turns north-east. This creek was previously known as Burke's/Bourke's Holes Creek in the 1870's as per land documents of this time period. The eastern border of the selection is approximately 640 meters long. Entry to the block can be gained through a gate at the south-east corner of the 4.2.15 acre block along the road. The southern border runs approximately 380 meters. The western border then meets with the creek again at the north-west corner.
Featuresidentified was adam to the west of the block- dam present on a 1971 cartographical map. Approximately 140m south of the creek and 35m west of the fence is an old man-made trenchwhich has potentially beenfilled in somewhat from flooding over the years. This trench is approximately 10 meters long and approximately a metre deep in places running exactly north to south whichcouldhave potentially housed the vertical breaking-down saw and belt drive from the saw-mill's 13 horsepower steam engine. There is also a single old-style broken brick sitting in the base of this pit. To the north of the trench are at least 2 post holes that are still recognisable. There is also a long shallow trench leading from the creek at the west side of the block in a straight line towards this previous structure with the post holes.
Next to the eastern fence towards the top of the block is a large dead tree not native to this immediate area thought to be either a cypress pine or possibly an acacia tree. Under this tree on its northern side are old scattered brick fragments. The age of these brick fragments may be interpreted from the fact that there was one piece that is now embedded within the root system of the tree. Further down the fence line to the south another 20 metres is an old stump - long dead. Two bent rusty nails lie imbedded in its eastern side. On its norther side are two deep grooves that appear to have been made by a broad axe. Along the road is plenty of flora that is once again clearly not native to the area and stands out compared to other areas along this road.
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WARRAVictorian Heritage Register H0521
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FORMER ANZ BANKVictorian Heritage Register H0226
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WANGARATTA RAILWAY STATION COMPLEXVictorian Heritage Register H1597
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